Comments on: Doctor Strange (2016)http://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/
home of Vern, critic and authorSun, 07 Jun 2020 08:16:12 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.14By: neal2zodhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3370241
Sun, 12 Mar 2017 13:54:51 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3370241Re: Strange being a dick pre-accident, I actually was shocked and delightfully surprised they doubled down on his dickishness by having him callously reject that phone call in the car to help a man “paralyzed in a military accident in prototype armor”. He could have possibly saved Rodey from paralysis and didn’t, which hopefully they keep as a character-building easter egg and not a plot point later on when he joins the Avengers.

Also surprised nobody here’s brought up the similarities to Green Lantern – *SPOILERS*- 1) magic powers that materialize things out of thin air, sometimes with the help of a ring, 2) cocky American guy joins secret society of warriors, acts like a bratty student and impatient pain-in-the-ass, somehow saves the world by himself on his first day on the job while everyone else is AWOL. 3) Human subvillain working for the main villain who’s a giant intergalactic world-eating cloud with a face on it. Hero defeats the cloud, cloud kills the subvillain. 4) Mentor and friend who’s apparently the big nemesis in the comics but acts like a good guy the entire time until he turns bad in a credit cookie. Granted, Doctor Strange is more exciting and more involving than GL, and runs about 20 minutes shorter, but I think the sense of deja vu knocks it down a few notches. (Also, Peter Sarsgaard and Clancy Brown were the better villains in GL by far)

]]>By: RRAhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368297
Tue, 13 Dec 2016 18:14:59 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368297Pacman 2.0 – I find weird people obsessing over the Dr. Strange/Stark parallels if only because they tend to forget ONE very important difference that surprisingly isn’t mentioned that much in reviews: Even in his “evil” days, Stark seems like a fun guy you wanted to party with and at least see why people hovered around him. Strange is just a dick, and I give the movie points for not cowering back on that. I mean lecturing to his surgeons that *he* would’ve saved his hands? Then instructing later surgeons precisely how he wants a surgery done (like a football coach having to draw the game-winning play in the huddle)? It’s nice touches. Then again other than Obligatory Marvel Love Interest, I don’t remember Strange having anybody else in his inner-circle pre-Marvel Redemption arc.

As for how you describe the movies, I chalk them up to being like the 007 films albeit with more plot/genre flexibility. They can be great, they can suck, but mostly they’re decent programmers that you have a pretty decent idea of what to expect and you pretty much get what you paid to see.

renfield – hell that scene even plays in the very first Luke Cage comic issue where he admits his costume looks “corny.”

]]>By: renfieldhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368214
Thu, 08 Dec 2016 00:53:41 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368214Agree with RRA’s comment that it’s all about the execution that makes or breaks those self-deprecating moments. Context, too. I thought LUKE CAGE had the best recent “poke fun at the superhero’s iconography” joke when he comments on the stolen clothes he’s wearing post-jailbreak (which happen to be his exact comic book costume) and says he looks like “a damn fool”. But it works because Mike Colter’s delivery is impeccable, and because it’s playing against Luke’s usual all-business sincerity/seriousness.
]]>By: Pacman 2.0http://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368204
Wed, 07 Dec 2016 12:10:02 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368204These Marvel films fall into five categories for me:
1) Think they’re genuinely not very good (IRON MAN 2, THOR: THE DARK WORLD, and to be perfectly honest THE WINTER SOLDIER)
2) Think they’re just OK and don’t really or fully get the fuss (AVENGERS, IRON MAN)
3) Enjoy them at the time but they leave very little lasting impression (ANT-MAN, CIVIL WAR)
4) Really like them but can see how they will appeal to me more than the average filmgoer (IRON MAN 3, CAPTAIN AMERICA, THOR)
5) Really enjoy them at the time but get sick of hearing about how “remarkable” they are (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY)

It doesn’t look like this one is destined to become a 5, so I would put this somewhere between a 3 and a 4. While it was playing I did find some of the humour a little grating but I found Strange much easier to empathise with than Stark; the fall from glory, the frustration and tragedy of unrealised potential. As the story progressed I enjoyed the visuals (usually a weak point for Marvel films), the setting, the philosophy, the and the refreshing independence from the rest of the cannon. In the weeks since I haven’t thought about it that much, but I remember its charms as unique enough that I feel I’m more likely to revisit it than CIVIL WAR, even though the latter is in many ways a better movie.

]]>By: RRAhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368203
Wed, 07 Dec 2016 02:54:28 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368203“But to me some of the comedics felt a little more self conscious than in the other ones. Or maybe they’ve just worn out these joke formulas.”

Vern – I think it’s more about execution, since that new GOTG v2 trailer was hilarious. With DR STRANGE, I thought the 1st act the humor felt forced and didn’t work. Reminded me of the GHOSTBUSTERS reboot where it’s supposed to be funny, but my screening crowd wasn’t reacting like the filmmakers figured/expected them.

But it picked up in the 2nd act and onwards, and that goddamn Cloak helped. I like how Marvel can make people care about a talking tree or a sentient Cloak or DUM-E (which was just a random prop Jon Favreau was stuck with until he thought of a gag involving it) or that giant ant pet now living in Ant-Man’s ex-wife’s home.*

*=I liked that story Peyton Reed told that he got complaints from parents who said their kids got upset when the hero’s pet ant died.

]]>By: RRAhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368202
Wed, 07 Dec 2016 02:35:43 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368202Dinit/Vern – I think you two are forgetting about Captain America. And if he’s involved with humor, its not part of that specific approach that Vern mentioned and more jokes at his situation/personality. “I actually got that reference!” “Language!”
]]>By: Bermanhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368181
Tue, 06 Dec 2016 05:46:01 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368181Not to mention Bradley Cooper and Vin fucking Diesel as cartoons. Cooper’s got the look, star power and talent to be a Cap or Sentry or Hawkeye or whoever, and Vin could probably pull off a good Namor, Black Bolt, Thanos or Thing. I mean, they were both good in Guardians, but I think there are better uses for them within that universe.
]]>By: Curthttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368162
Sun, 04 Dec 2016 02:55:02 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368162Ancient Romans, I think the answer to your question is: Yes. You nailed it.
]]>By: Ancient Romanshttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368148
Sat, 03 Dec 2016 01:58:45 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368148Re: The linked AICN TalkBack. The continued relevance of the conflicts in those comments now, 8 1/2 years later, makes me sad, but not as sad as the feeling that the side content not to rise above being shitty and callous seems to have won on a national scale for the time being. Is the ideological divide really ‘You’re an asshole’ vs. ‘You’re an asshole for trying to not be an asshole’?
]]>By: CJ Holdenhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368122
Thu, 01 Dec 2016 16:54:50 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368122That’s the point.
]]>By: Danhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368121
Thu, 01 Dec 2016 16:22:16 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368121Errrrrrr Tilda Swinton is not a international martial arts superstar.
]]>By: Mr. Majestykhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368118
Thu, 01 Dec 2016 01:47:04 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368118The Shout Factory THING special edition is indeed very good, which is no surprise, since Shout Factory is fuckin’ killin’ it these days. (I particularly recommend the INVASION USA Blu-ray. Great stories from Savini and the KNB boys, and you really respect the action more when you hear how it was done.) I especially like that they try to maintain as much of the previous versions’ special features as possible, and not just because I can then get rid of my old DVD without losing anything. In THE THING’s case, since it’s already had a few really solid releases, you get this cornucopia of interviews with a lot of the same subjects spanning decades. Which is kind of cool, seeing how the people and their feelings about the movie evolve through the years.
]]>By: clubsidehttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368117
Thu, 01 Dec 2016 01:21:28 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368117The linked review of Sex and the City by Massawyrm 1 and it’s “talkback” is definitely a fun show if you’re looking for a laugh. As a fan of the first few seasons of the show I probably went in expecting to hate it as I did the latter seasons as the same creative team that took the snarky and silly setup “with a heart” that was quite funny and poured a bag of melodrama on it was running it. Sadly it was worse than expected. But I laughed when Vern brought up, very politely, the possibility that Massa only attended to write the snarky article he had already preformulated. Not that this was the first time any reviewer was challenged on that possibility, but on not-usual-AICN-fare it was perfect timing.

Plus I never tire of laughing at every reference to Sarah Jessica Parker as “horseface”.

Oh, Dr. Strange. Yeah, I wanna see it, but as is my wont, I’ll be holding out for the 4K UHD release.

In the meantime I can’t wait for my copy of the new Shout Factory! release of THE THING. Did you guys see the list of new Special Features? Just a little bummed reading some of the review comments where the movie is back in “hasn’t aged well” headed to “was never good, no character development blah blah blah” status amongst those that seem to dwell on Blu-ray review forums/sites. Wish it was a 4K release but at least it’s a new 2K scan that’s supposedly a big step up from the HD-DVD (and subsequent Blu-ray clone).

Anyone up on the “Return of the Living Dead” original audio debacle? Only stumbled on it because I was browsing the Shout Factory! site and it mentioned one song not being cleared for the release. It wasn’t far to the rabbit-hole of releases, regions, dubs and more. Don’t know why such things fascinate me more than the actual movie which I like but hey, why couldn’t that song be cleared three decades on. I GOTTA KNOW!

Dr. Strange was of course one of the founders of THE DEFENDERS which the MCU will reimagine on NetFlix with their roster of characters, none of which was ever more than a “guest star” in the greatest non-team comic of all time. Oh well.

]]>By: VERNhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368114
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 18:36:45 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368114Shoot – No, I didn’t. That’s cool!
]]>By: Dreadguacamolehttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368113
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 13:52:36 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368113I’m mostly not a fan of most of the Marvel movies, but I adored this one. Right up there with Iron Man 3 and Guardians of the Galaxy. Some random gushing:

The visuals are great across the board, and it’s got good action. And I’m not saying that they’re good in comparison to other Marvel movies, that’s a ridiculously low bar to clear – it’s just really good, with some of the most imaginative scenes I’ve seen this year.

The story, as Vern mentions, is a bit meh, but the script is great. The pacing is excellent, offering up some mindblowing visuals and setpieces at a clip. I particularly loved how they made each major action sequence be inventive, feel unique within the movie, and have a pretty cool gimmick. You could feel the crew’s excitement to do this thing, and that’s something I value a lot.

Scott Derrickson has a sense of humor! That was probably the biggest surprise for me. Also, I expected this to be an Ant-Man situation where I’d be thinking about what a great director could have done with it instead of what we ended up getting (Guillermo del Toro was once attached to direct this), but, well. Derrickson knocked this one out of the park.

Tilda Swinton, having loads of fun. That’s as good a reason you need to watch anything.

My only nitpicks come at the very end (minor spoilers):
– After showing a pretty credible reaction to killing a bad guy earlier in the movie, the doctor’s pretty fucking blase about condemning someone to eternal torture, don’t you think? He even quips while doing it.
– The payoff to that whole “do you ever laugh?” deal was forced as hell, and not even particularly funny.

Excellent, excellent stuff – loved it without reservations. This movie, and the fact that Taika Waititi is making it as a “mystical road trip” have actually got me really excited about Thor 3.

]]>By: Shoot McKayhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368112
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 13:42:35 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368112Vern, did you notice that Scott Adkins shared your review on Facebook?
]]>By: Scarheadhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368111
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 10:54:35 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368111One of my favorite forums, DanCarlin.com, is closing and I am sad. I’ve been reading Vern’s site for about as long (since 2007 or so), so I just want to post that I read the link to the aintitcool review (another site I’ve gone to for a long time), and I’m really glad that the talkbacks here are so much better than that. I don’t post a lot here but I enjoy Vern’s reviews as the best reviews of cinema out there and I’m glad he has a good group of people reading and responding. Thanks for being you.
]]>By: Jeromehttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368110
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 08:45:52 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368110The DOCTOR STRANGE end credits music is indeed awesome:

[visual-parse url=”https://youtu.be/Q4uoNAFfvKg”]

]]>By: The Undefeated Gaulhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368109
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 08:45:42 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368109I enjoyed the hell out of this one, but after all the promises in interviews with the director that the movie would contain a shitload of martial arts, I did have to swallow some disappointment after realizing there wasn’t going to be a single proper martial arts fight in the whole film. It’s all about the magic in this one, which is cool (especially the way it’s executed here), but they shouldn’t have promised me martial arts if they had no intention to actually deliver that. Admittedly, I only expected to see one good fight or so, namely something with Adkins involved (the one guy in the cast who can do that stuff for real) but I didn’t even get that. At least he was on screen for far longer than I was expecting based on his parts in THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY and CRIMINAL.
]]>By: Benhttp://outlawvern.com/2016/11/29/doctor-strange-2016/#comment-3368108
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 06:19:05 +0000http://outlawvern.com/?p=27879#comment-3368108man just gotta say the gimmick of constantly crediting people with their least respected role never fails to make me smile.
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